


Find me, Romeo

by jjongshoe



Category: K-pop, SHINee
Genre: BoyxBoy, M/M, Masquerade, SHINee - Freeform, Smut, Yaoi, boylove, minkey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-16
Updated: 2019-05-16
Packaged: 2020-03-06 11:06:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,916
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18849817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jjongshoe/pseuds/jjongshoe
Summary: Sequel to Read My Mind.This story deals with what happens to Key after he lets Jinki have Jonghyun.





	1. Chapter 1

Sighing, Kibum headed back to the office. Although it was more than six months ago, it still seemed like it was just yesterday when Kibum had got his heart broken. In order to distract his mind, he’d thrown himself, heart and soul, into his work, and was now the owner of one of the top Event Management companies in the country. With his blonde hair, dashing good looks and charming personality, he was never short of admirers, both male and female. However, he would never succumb to any of their advances, as he knew they were only after his handsome face. Although he was happy for Jonghyun and Jinki, he was still hung up on Jonghyun. True, he had never told him how he’d felt. Instead, he had stated that he was happier just living in the moment. Off late, he’d started feeling rather lonely in his big house. Try as he might, but he couldn't force his mind to leave the thoughts of Jonghyun behind. Even if he read a book or watched a movie, he was always tortured by his memories. Fighting his mind’s voice of protest, he picked up the phone to call Jinki.

“Jinki, this is Kibum. I just wanted to check on you”

“Thank you Kibum. I was just about to call you, actually. A friend of mine is interested in having an art exhibition and is looking for a company to help him with the details. Would you be interested? His name is Choi Minho”

After taking down the details from Jinki, Kibum researched the artist before sending him a quick email with his proposal. Choi Minho seemed to be getting rather famous with his abstract style, and Kibum was surprised to find out that he had bought a painting from him many years ago, during his first exhibition as an art student.  From his picture, Kibum noticed that he looked exactly like how one would expect an artist to look. He was wearing a white shirt, with long dark hair, till his shoulders. He was rather handsome, but not exactly Kibum’s ideal type. Not that he was looking for a relationship anyway, but it never hurt to look.

He’d spoken to Minho a few times to confirm the location where he wanted to hold the event. Minho had a rather husky voice which always made him sound as if he’d just woken up, which seemed quite at odds with his formal manner of speaking.

Meanwhile, Choi Minho was in his studio, working hard at his easel to have enough paintings to be displayed. Kim Kibum was as impressive as he’d heard, with him being able to get everything ready in a short span of time. He obviously knew exactly what he was doing, as even the light suggestions given by him were spot on. He had one day left, before the launch, and was rather excited about it, more so about meeting Kibum face to face. He’d spotted a picture of Kibum the last time he’d visited Jonghyun and Jinki, and was rather enamored by him. It wasn’t fate that had connected them, but Jinki who’d insisted on playing Cupid, but he knew he’d have to keep that little detail to himself, lest he angered Kibum who was known for his short temper. Minho’s weakness was blonde men and Kibum was exactly that.

It was the day of the exhibition, and he had got 30 of his best paintings on display. With Kibum making sure everything was according to plan, Minho was sure the day would go well. Kibum looked really handsome in the black suit he was wearing, which made Minho feel a lot scruffier in comparison in a sky blue shirt and black pants. By the end of the day, he’d sold all of his paintings and received orders for more prints than he’d imagined.

Kibum watched as Minho thanked the last visitor to the exhibition. He’d managed to sell everything. Kibum couldn’t help but feel a little proud of how far Minho had come, over the years. He smiled as Minho approached him.

“Thank you so much for your help, Kibum. You even took care of the wine for all the patrons. I really don’t know how I’d managed before”

“It was a pleasure, Minho. I’m glad to see that it went well”

“Let’s celebrate. May I take you out for dinner?”

There it was. That familiar question once again. Kibum was rather tired of rebuffing all of the requests for meals or coffee he’d received. For once, looking at Minho’s earnest smile, he felt very tempted to accept. However, he knew that he wasn’t in the position to get his heart broken again, by catching feelings. Neither could he just play around with Minho and break his heart. Just being in close proximity with Minho for the whole day, made him tingle inside.

“Not today, thank you. Maybe some other time”

Slightly crestfallen, Minho watched Kibum’s retreating back as he walked away. He wouldn’t give up. If Kibum wanted to be courted, then so be it.

******************************************************************************************************  
Waking up earlier than usual, Kibum picked up the newspaper to find the front page was full of articles about the exhibition. Controlling the involuntary smile that came to him, he read the printed interview with Minho, with him talking about the textures of different paintings. A few lines caught his eye.

Interviewer: Mr. Choi, how is it that you have managed to sell every one of your paintings?

Choi Minho: It was all due to the effort of Mr. Kim Kibum and his company. I couldn’t have done it without him.

Although he was used to being hailed for his work, it felt good when Minho said good things about him. Why was he getting so affected by Minho? He could feel a lot of buried emotions being invoked again, which scared him a little. He dressed up in his favorite baby pink shirt and drove to work. As he entered his office, he saw a box of Godiva chocolates on his desk, along with a note which read ‘I need to learn how to shine as you do’. There was no name, but whoever sent the note, seemed to have an eye for poetic lines. Suspecting it was Minho, Kibum picked up his phone to call him.

“Hi Minho, this is Kibum. I wanted to thank you for mentioning our services during the interview”

“I really appreciate all the help you’ve given me”

As they continued to make small talk, the receptionist walked in with the prettiest ombre roses Kibum had ever seen. They were pink, with a dash of orange and reminded him of the sunset. The accompanying note read ‘I can’t thank you enough. Minho Choi’

“Thank you for the roses, Minho. They’re beautiful. How did you know that my favorite color is pink?”

Minho silently pumped his fist into the air, glad that his guess had been correct. When he saw those beautiful roses, his mind was overwhelmed with thoughts of Kibum.

“It was a lucky guess. I’m glad you like them. You seemed rather busy the other day, I wanted to ask if you’d like to meet me for a coffee”

“Okay, I’ll meet you in 30 minutes”

Minho replaced the receiver and let out a huge whoosh of breath. He hadn’t realized that he had been holding his breath until Kibum had accepted the invitation.

Dressing up as quickly as he could, he got a table at the coffee shop and waited for Kibum. Kibum looked rather spectacular in his pink shirt. Somehow, pink just seemed to work for him. His piercings glinting in the sunlight as he looked about, Minho saw Kibum smile once he’d spotted him. That smile made his face light up.

Kibum saw the change in Minho’s face when he smiled at him and knew exactly why he had been invited for coffee.

“I’m glad you came, Kibum. I was afraid you wouldn’t come”

“I only came here to clear the air with you. I want to let you know that I’ve recently got out of a relationship, and I’m not ready for another relationship anytime soon”

“I understand, Kibum. I’m ready to wait for you as long as you want”

“It won’t be fair to you. I don’t know when I’d be ready. I don’t even know if I would ever be ready to get into a relationship, so please don’t wait for me”

“I don’t mind. I’d like to spend time with you and get to know you better. I’d be happy to just be around you, as your friend”

Kibum knew he couldn’t expect someone like Minho to wait for him indefinitely. Minho was someone who needed love, and someone who would treat him well. Not someone as complicated as he was.

“I can’t expect you to do that”

“Trust me, I want to”

There was nothing Kibum could say to this, as Minho seemed to be even more stubborn than he was. Kibum’s face flushed as Minho reached across and wiped a bit of foam from the corner of his mouth. Ignoring the rush of emotions, he stood up abruptly and told Minho that he’d talk to him later. He tried not to think of Minho’s disappointed expression as he gave him a quick hug before he left the coffee shop.

Kibum usually got all the letters that were sent to the office, to be delivered at home. While skimming through the bunch he’d received, he came across a letter with handwriting similar to that of the anonymous note. ‘The moonlight that’s about to spill is definitely dark. The same goes to you, the burning torch that’s about to explode’. It had only two lines this time. Two lines that made his heart beat faster than ever. The envelope had no return address but only had his name. It seemed as though someone had delivered the letter to his office, rather than posting it. Who was this from? It was really puzzling.


	2. Chapter 2

Kibum spent the rest of the night just wondering who the mysterious person was. Even the handwriting didn’t seem similar to that of anyone he knew. He awoke when the phone rang.

“Kibum, this is Jonghyun. How are you?”

“Yeah, I’m fine”

“There’s a play next week, followed by a masquerade ball. Shall the three of us go together?”

“Jonghyun, I’m too busy with work. I can’t make it”

“Look at that. The university’s Best Actor doesn’t want to go see a play? I remember a time when you used to love watching plays, just to critique them”

“That was long ago. Things aren’t the same anymore. Nothing is the same”

“You need to loosen up. You work too hard, and you definitely need a break”

“I’ll think about it. I’m not making any promises, but I will call you if I change my mind”

The next morning, he went back to the office to find yet another note, this time accompanied by a single long-stemmed ruby red rose. “Now I can’t stop it. The habit of chasing you. You’re spreading like an irresistible addiction”. Even after enquiring with his staff, Kibum was unable to figure out who had sent the notes. The person could easily just be a prankster or some kind of pervert. Almost everyone knew he had been single for a long time, and thanks to the media, people knew who he was. If this was a prankster, then that person was going to be in so much trouble when Kibum found out who he was.

Perhaps Jonghyun had been right. He hadn’t had a social life in years, and that coffee with Minho definitely didn’t count as an ‘outing’. It would be nice to just spend time with Jonghyun and Jinki, and not worry about the image he had to maintain.

“Jonghyun, It’s Kibum. I’d like to join you both for the play”

Jonghyun smiled to himself when he saw how well the plan was working.

****************************************

Over the next few days, Kibum didn’t receive any more notes which made him seriously wonder if it had been Jonghyun all along, just trying to prank him. Whatever it was, it did work. It made him want to leave his work behind him and just go out and have a good time. He bought a beautiful gold and pink Venetian style mask, with sea green feathers on it, to wear at the masquerade ball. For the first time in years, he actually felt excited. When he reached home, he saw a small package lying on the doorstep with no return address. The package contained a mask in the style of Phantom of the Opera, and it was ivory in color and gleaming was Swarovski crystals that shone in the light, creating little rainbows. As usual, there was a note “You play me all day and even if you push or pull me and I fall down, I follow your scent that embraces my body again”. The back of the note contained a two-liner that said “I would be truly honored if you could join me on stage and enact this scene with me. I’ve watched your plays before and I have always wanted to share the stage with you”. So this was either someone from his university or someone who knew his friends. All of the university plays were “By Invitation only” so there was no doubt that he had seen this person at least once. The only issue was that he had no idea who it was. The bottom of the package had the script for one scene, which he quickly skimmed through. It seemed really interesting, and he hadn’t been on stage for years. Since he would be behind a mask the whole time, no one would even know it was him so it wouldn't matter if he made a mistake. Feeling excited, he started to memorize his lines. It was really going to be an eventful, yet amazing day and he couldn't wait for it to arrive so he could deliver a truly mesmerizing performance.  
****************************************************************************  
Feeling excited, Kibum practiced his lines once more, before driving to the Opera House where the play was going to take place. It felt absolutely amazing as he stepped inside the massive structure. Decorated with crystal chandeliers that dazzled in the light, it was even more incredible than he had ever imagined. This was truly going to be a dream come true for him.

"Mr. Kim? I've been told to escort you to your dressing room. Your costume has been kept ready and I'll get one of our makeup artists to join you in a few minutes"

They'd even kept a costume ready. How did they even know his sizes? Still feeling puzzled, he followed the girl to his dressing room. The costume was a size bigger than what he usually wore, and a seamstress altered it at once. This made more sense. It would have been really creepy if the costume had fit him like a second skin. After his makeup was done, he noticed that he looked nothing like himself. Putting on the crystal-encrusted mask, he stepped backstage and waited for his cue. Shortly, he was asked to take the stage. His partner had already started delivering his lines, and Kibum had a few minutes to survey him. Dressed in a long black and red cape, and the black and white mask covering his face, he looked like a cross between the Phantom of the Opera and Dracula. A soft rendition of Bach's Toccata played in the background, gave the scene a slightly eerie and mysterious note. As Kibum received his cue and walked to the stage, his partner started their scene.

"The moonlight that's about to spill is definitely dark. The same goes to you, the burning torch that's about to explode"

These were the same lines on the anonymous notes. The sender could be someone among the wide range of actors, or the author of the script. Realizing where he was, Kibum fumbled for a second before replying with his line.

"I can't stop. So take all of my heart and my breath"

"Please open your heart. Your gestures towards me pass by again"

"My trembling heart seems like it's about to explode any moment"

It wasn't just these lines, but the manner in which they were being said that made Kibum wonder if the one who had sent those notes was the person delivering these lines. The worst part was that his partner's face was fully covered by the mask, and he even had a wig on. There was no way Kibum would be able to recognize him at all.

"Sorry, my unchanging passion is the melody made by lyrics that endlessly shreds white paper"

"Music that you'll remember deep within your heart. That's the only thing you want, what's left is like my value"

"I pull it off so easily, you don't know the meaning of my tears"

"There's one reason why I do music. It knows the pain I've endured"

Kibum's heart skipped a beat with the other actor gently caressed his cheek, while speaking.

"Even if you say nothing, I know everything"

"Your eyes have expressed that you long for me"

"I can't stop the habit of chasing you. You're spreading like an irresistible addiction"

The moment you entered through that door, I've only been staring at you"

"I'm Romeo, your knight in shining armor. Trapped in a glass jar"

"Even if I'm still lacking, I want to love you"

Kibum stared wide-eyed as his partner pulled him even closer as he delivered his last line.

"I'll give you my soul. Sweetly, and a little more sweeter.."

"Whisper my serenade"

The applause they received just blew his mind and left him feeling almost giddy with excitement. After the curtain fell, he knew all the actors would go back on the stage, without their masks. What had happened onstage felt like more than just a scene. Somehow, when the other actor was speaking, he seemed as though he was talking to him directly. Kibum felt a huge rush of emotions sweep through him, as he waited impatiently for their curtain call. Once it was time, he walked onto the stage and looked around for the mysterious Romeo who was nowhere to be found. Smiling and waving to the audience, Kibum went backstage to look for his partner, only to run into Jonghyun and Jinki.

"Kibum, you were incredible. Jinki and I absolutely loved your performance"

"Thank you, Jonghyun. I did my best"

"I thought you wouldn't come, because you never called me back. Why didn't you tell me you were actually starring in it?"

"I didn't have any rehearsals. I just received the script a few days ago from someone, along with this mask"

"Well, I'm glad you decided to go ahead with it"

"I'm just dying to know who had sent it. It's been driving me positively crazy, these past few days"

"I'm sure you'll find that person at the masquerade ball"

**********************************************************


	3. Chapter 3

Dressed in a black suit and pink tie, Kibum put on his mask and joined Jonghyun and Jinki on their way back to the Opera House. Some genius had picked the same venue for both the play as well as the Masquerade ball which made it easy for them. Careful not to third wheel Jinki and Jonghyun in their black and white couple mask, Kibum started walking around trying to find his mysterious partner. Although he knew it was a gamble to assume that he'd have worn the same mask as the play, he felt it was worth a try. Spotting the familiar Phantom of the Opera style mask worn by someone at the corner of the room, Kibum quickly made his way there only to find that the mask was worn by a teenaged girl.

"Where did you get this mask? I feel like I've seen it before"

"I got it from the actor who played X character in the play earlier. He gave me this mask just a few minutes ago when I went to get his autograph"

So his hunch was right. His partner was here.

"Do you know where he is now?"

"He's wearing a black satin mask with black rhinestones and feathers. I hope you find him"

This made it much easier now that he knew the exact mask that he wore, all he needed to do was ask around and continue his search.

*************************************************************

"He's looking for you, you know. How long are you planning on hiding?"

"I'll let him 'find' me soon, Jinki. Don't worry, I know what to do"

*************************************************************

Kibum spent quite some time just chasing after this person. Who the hell was this guy? It really seemed as though they were playing hide and seek, with the way the guy kept appearing and disappearing. This was the first time in his life that Kibum had ever chased someone and it really annoyed him. Feeling weary and strangely dejected, Kibum gave up and walked towards the stairs that led to the balcony. Leaning against the banister was his partner or someone who professed to be him.

"I didn't think you'd give up so easily, Kibum. I expected better from you"

"Who the hell are you?"

"Come now, don't tell me you've forgotten already. We just shared the stage this morning"

"How can I believe that? For all I know, you could be some kook who's trying to take me for a ride"

"Ah, so you want proof? Sweetly and a little more sweeter...let's see you complete the line, Kibum"

"Whisper my serenade"

"Now that I've proved who I am, if you'd excuse me, there's somewhere I need to be"

"I'm not done with you. Was it you who had sent me all those notes?"

"It was"

Extremely indignant and also rather ashamed that he'd yelled at this guy so much that he'd wanted to leave, Kibum cleared his throat and spoke again.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I really didn't appreciate the whole cat and mouse thing"

He saw the guy relax, and smile slightly.

"They're going to start playing the Waltz now. May I have this dance, Kibum?"

Smiling shyly, Kibum nodded as he was led to a private hall where there was no one except them. Feeling his heart beating louder and louder as they swayed to the music, stepping even closer to bridge the little bit of gap between them. Just this feeling of being close to someone gave Kibum quite a high. Wondering how on earth he had developed such strong feelings for someone whose name he didn't even know, Kibum took a chance at kissed the man lightly. Almost immediately, he found himself being pulled even harder towards the guy, who dipped his head backward and kissed him deeply and intrusively, his tongue touching Kibum's. He ran his fingers through that lush dark brown hair and found himself wondering why he felt comfortable with this person. Almost as if he knew him. More than anything, he wanted to take off that mask but knew he mustn't at his current state. Breaking free from that spine-tingling kiss, he whispered the one word that he knew would be his undoing. "More"

"Kibum, this isn't the time or place. Are you completely sure?"

"I don't care about the time or place. All I know is that I want you right now"

Kibum felt himself being lifted and marveled at the guy's strength, as he was carried to one of the dressing rooms. The guy locked the door and looked at Kibum with hunger in his eyes, and started removing his tuxedo. Kibum struggled not to drool at his chiseled body as he quickly started removing his own clothes in a hurry. The kiss they shared seemed more frenzied than romantic as if they had both waited for each other for years.  
******************************************************************  
"Are you drunk, Kibum? I'm not sure this is such a good idea. I'd never want to take advantage of you"

Kibum felt himself growing super hard, and the fact that this Romeo seemed shy just turned him on even more.

"Trust me, Romeo. I know what I want. Right now, I want you"

Wrapping his arms around Romeo's neck, Kibum tiptoed and pressed light kisses to the side of his neck, which made him groan. Knowing that Romeo's self-control was hanging by a thread, Kibum pulled him closer and kissed him. Romeo moaned, grabbed him and held him against the wall, molding Kibum to his chest. Kibum could almost hear Romeo's heart beating as fast as his own. What a pity that they still couldn't see each other's faces. He was definitely at a disadvantage here as Romeo clearly knew who he was. Nevertheless, there was something about this moment that excited him even more. He felt Romeo hardening against him, and his already ramrod straight dick twitched in response. After dropping another kiss to Romeo's neck, Kibum dropped to his knees and unzipped Romeo's fly. He felt Romeo clutch his hair as he licked the tip of his dick. Just tasting his desire for him made Kibum go crazy with anticipation. Slowly making little circles with his tongue around Romeo's dick, he slowly inserted the tip into his mouth and sucked gently. Taking a deep breath, inch by inch, he took all of Romeo's hard length and was rewarded with another loud moan. Slightly increasing his pressure, Kibum sucked him faster and harder, when Romeo clutched his hair to control the rhythm.

"Let's take it slowly, please"

"No way, Romeo"  
Kibum stroked his dick as he continued sucking the tip. It was obvious that Romeo was going to come soon, although he kept struggling to prolong his climax.

"I can't control myself anymore, Ace"

That one word triggered something deep inside his memory.

*Flashback*

The shy teenaged Kibum felt tongue-tied in the presence of his crush, the captain of the football team. It was hard to imagine that the star of all the school's plays, the pride of the Drama club even knew the meaning of the word shy.

As he finished his performance, he walked to his class, just passing the football team, when his crush called out to him

"You did a good job out there, Ace"

*End of flashback*

He knew who Romeo was but just couldn't recollect his name after all these years. He got back to his senses at the exact time that Romeo climaxed. Kibum's mouth was filled with a thick jet of warm cum, which he swallowed. Holding Romeo's hand, Kibum stood up and slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Loosening his tie, he then proceeded to remove all of the buttons on his shirt, one by one, almost melting in Romeo's fiery gaze. After just staring at him for what seemed like five minutes, Romeo started stripping as well. He really did possess the body of an Adonis, and it seemed like Mr. Captain had definitely taken good care of his body. Kibum felt Romeo shudder as he ran his tongue lightly along his chest and nipped his rock hard nipple. He stifled a groan as he felt Romeo sliding his hand along his member that was still erect.

"Kibum, is this okay? Are you sure?"

"Just get on with it, Romeo. I've been waiting for a long time now"

Pulling Kibum to a nearby desk, Romeo positioned himself between his thighs, and lifted Kibum's legs over his shoulders, to give him better access. Moistening his fingers with saliva, Romeo put three fingers inside Kibum's ass, stretching his hole. Kibum felt a slight pressure as Romeo slid his thick cock inside him, inch by inch. Soon, he moaned in pleasure as Romeo started thrusting into him. The darkened room made it seem as though they were really unknown to each other, which fulfilled one of Kibum's hidden kinks. Romeo kept stroking Kibum's dick thereby jerking him off whilst still thrusting into him. The combined sensation of pleasure and more pleasure made Kibum cum, almost instantly, and he could feel his own cum pooling onto his stomach. Pausing his thrusting, Romeo bent down and licked all of Kibum's cum from his stomach, before continuing to thrust as if nothing had happened. All the while, Kibum had been holding the sides of the desk in order to stay in place.

"Kibum, give me your hands"

Kibum laced his fingers with Romeo's as his pupils dilated, signaling that he was about to cum. Romeo bent down and kissed him as he came, filling Kibum with the warmth of his cum. Grabbing a couple of tissues from the box nearby, Romeo cleaned his cum off Kibum, before cleaning himself as well.

"Forgive me, Kibum. This was really not how I wanted this to happen"

"I enjoyed myself, and I know that you did, too. There's nothing to apologize for"

"You don't even know my name, Kibum"

"Oh, I know who you are, Mr. Captain of the football team"

"I don't play football"

"You used to when you were at XYZ High School"

As he watched Romeo go pale under his mask, Kibum knew that he was right. He definitely knew who Romeo was.


	4. Chapter 4

Knowing that Jonghyun would be looking for him, Kibum hugged Romeo tight before he left the room. Although they'd shared a private moment that had felt really good, this was still a public area. It wouldn't look good for either of them if they got caught. All he had to do was get home and dig out his old high school yearbook, and he'd be a lot closer to finding his answer. Filled with excitement and anticipation, he drove home as quickly as he could and climbed to the attic to bring out a dusty box filled with his memories from high school. Keeping aside a few goofy pictures of Jonghyun to give Jinki, he emptied the rest of the box. There it was. The yearbook. Quickly flipping through the faded pages, he struggled to find the picture of the football team, as most of the pages had become severely worn out. He could either spend the whole day separating pages with a ruler, or he could just visit the one person who was known to keep memories carefully. Logic won, and Kibum shortly found himself ringing Jonghyun's doorbell.

"Hello Kibum, It's great to see you"

Following Jinki inside, the impatient Kibum felt like he couldn't wait another minute to find out Romeo's identity. After dutifully presenting the old polaroids of Jonghyun making goofy faces, he felt he could use an ally in his search.

"Jinki, I want to tell you something. I need your help to find someone"

"Who is it?"

"I'm not really sure, but I know that it's someone I used to know"

"Where did you meet them?"

"It's the actor who I shared the stage with. I need to find him, Jinki"

"How can I help?"

"I need Jonghyun's old yearbook"

Jinki and Kibum spent an hour rummaging through Jonghyun's things before they found what they were looking for. Kept in almost pristine condition, they flipped through the pages to find that Jonghyun had gotten signatures of all the members of the soccer team right next to their names, and now that the ink had run, there was no way to figure out Romeo's real name. All they could do was try to imagine how the possible people would have aged, and try to figure out mentally if they were who Kibum had been looking for. Although it was a tedious process, Kibum refused to give up. If only he'd seen Romeo's face. All he could see was his dark brown eyes and longish hair, which would probably fit with half the men in the country. 

"Kibum, I've got an idea. There would definitely be some programs on the Internet that would give you an estimation of how a person would look in the future if you uploaded a picture"

Searching among the rest of Jonghyun's stuff, Kibum found a faded photograph of the men's soccer team which he swiftly scanned and uploaded. With Jinki's help, they were able to enhance the image where they had a 50% chance of figuring out what the person could look like. With his heart beating faster, he opened the link to the enlarged, enhanced image, only to gasp in wonder. The site had also provided a list of celebrities with similar features. At the top of the list was the celebrated artist, Choi Minho.

Choi Minho was someone who had evoked his hidden feelings and brought them back to the surface. However charming he was, there was no way he was Romeo, as Kibum personally knew the art club in his high school. If only he had just accepted Minho's feelings rather than chasing after someone whose face he had never seen. It would have been much easier to have accepted the one who liked him, rather than following the one whom he liked.

Meanwhile, Jinki kept focusing on the expression on Kibum's face as he continued to stare at Minho's picture. This may be the perfect time to get those two together, or atleast to nudge Kibum a little.

"Kibum, why don't we ask Minho to try his hand at creating a portrait that could help us find the mystery guy?"

"I'm not even sure that I want to find him"

"Don't lose hope just yet. Let's try this idea"

Already having second thoughts about this whole search process, Kibum reluctantly agreed to ask Minho to try to do an age progression from an artist's point of view. What worried him was the fact that his heart seemed to flutter a little at the very mention of Minho's name. How on Earth would he be able to explain to Minho about wanting to find someone else, without hurting him? Before he could voice out his concerns, the enthusiastic Jinki had already set up a session for the following day. Filled with dread mixed with a slight twinge of excitement at seeing Minho again, he continued about his day as if nothing had happened.  
***************************************************************************  
Minho felt absolutely delighted to see Kibum again, and judging by the nervous smile he got, it was clear that the feeling certainly wasn't mutual.

"Jinki mentioned that you need my help to find someone"

Kibum felt torn as he saw the expression on Minho's face change from delight to disappointment. At that moment, he really didn't want to tell him about Romeo. He knew for a fact that Minho liked him, and found himself wishing that he'd never met Romeo in the first place. It would've been so much easier if he'd just gone for the person who liked him, instead of being stubborn. Truth be told, he did have feelings for Minho, but it didn't seem fair to just view him as a sort of consolation prize.

"No, I don't want to find anyone"

"You look troubled, Kibum. Have a seat, I'd like to paint you. I've wanted to do that for a long time now"

With an uncharacteristically shy smile, Kibum sat down and tried not to blush as Minho reached out and set his hair. Why was he reacting like a teenager? This is not how he usually was. He allowed his mind to wander a little bit. Perhaps what happened with Romeo was just infatuation. The real thing was standing right before him, holding a paintbrush. How could he resist this? His mind and heart at odds with each other, he allowed himself to loosen up a little bit. Although it seemed like it was too soon, he felt ready. Ready to move on completely, and open his heart to love the one who loved him.

"Minho, can we have dinner together next week? I'd really like to get to know you better"

His smile put all the doubts in Kibum's mind to rest. There wasn't a doubt in his mind that Minho wouldn't like him. If anything, judging by the soft blush that appeared on his face each time Kibum smiled at him, the attraction seemed to have increased. By a lot. Just by watching the way Minho painted, stroke after stroke, Kibum could easily see how he had become so well known. He seemed to paint with his heart and soul. Although abstract was where he shone the most, he was equally good at portraits. Sneaking a quick look at the painting, he could see that it was only halfway done, but the resemblance was uncanny. Minho had even managed to bring in the various highlights in his hair. When they took a break for lunch, Kibum knew that this was the perfect time to start getting to know him.

"Minho, you're really amazing at what you do. Were you in the art club during your high school?"

"You'd be surprised, but I was more of a jock at that time"

Feeling his heart suddenly start beating faster, Kibum took a deep breath before asking him the next question.

"What sport did you play?"

"I was the captain of the football team"

All of a sudden, the restaurant seemed as if it was getting hotter and hotter. Blushing furiously as Minho touched his cheek, Kibum struggled to control his emotions.

"Are you alright, Kibum? You seem flushed"

"I'm fine. Which high school did you go to?"

"XXX High School"

Kibum suddenly felt his heart leap into his throat. Choi Minho was his high school crush, but he didn't seem aware of that fact at all. Should he tell him, or just keep that little fact to himself?

"I figured you went to the same school as Jinki. Anyway, I think we need to get back to the studio. It's getting late"

Before Minho could realize what was happening, he saw Kibum almost flee like a doe in his haste to get away. Feeling rather dejected, he picked up his brush and continued to work on the portrait after saying goodbye. He'd promised Jonghyun that he wouldn't breathe a word of their deal, but he really couldn't bear to look at Kibum's stressed out face. He could almost see the wheels turning in Kibum's head as he started to figure things out. At this moment, it would be best for everyone for Minho not to follow him.

Kibum spent the rest of the day trying to figure out what was happening to him. All these events seemed too closely linked for it to be a coincidence. It was obvious that Jinki and Minho knew each other from university, while he and Jonghyun went to the same high school. Jonghyun was the link between them all. Closing his eyes, he summoned a picture of Minho in his mind and compared him to Romeo. They were of the same height and both had long, dark hair. Concentrating hard, he recollected Romeo's voice. Now he was absolutely sure. There was certainly no doubt about the fact that Minho was Romeo. The only thing nagging him was the reason why he did this. Two words. Kim Jonghyun. He had to have been behind all of this. Being the only person who knew about Kibum's secret kink, he had cleverly engineered all of this, not caring how anyone would be affected. Well, he liked Minho, and the Romeo persona gave him access to Minho's other side. He should be happy by now, but why did he still have a doubt?

Rushing back to Minho's studio, he was greeted with his finished portrait. It was as if he'd looked into a mirror. There was no doubt about it; this was perfect. Waiting for Minho to return, he thought of how he could subtly confirm that Minho was indeed, Romeo.

"Kibum, welcome. I'm sorry for the mess. I wasn't expecting you this early"

"I just saw the portrait you've painted of me. It's really beautiful. I can't even imagine how long it must have taken"

"I'm glad you like it. I'd like to add a few final touches to it before giving it to you"

As he sat watching Minho touching up the painting with concentration, he knew how he was going to confirm it.

"Sweetly, and a little more sweeter..."

"Whisper my serenade"

Smiling with satisfaction, he looked at Minho who hadn't even realized what he'd said. He'd got his confirmation. Just then, the door opened and in walked Jinki and Jonghyun. Expecting to feel angry when he saw Jonghyun, Kibum was surprised to feel a sense of contentment. That crazy guy had been trying to play matchmaker for ages, and this was the only time he'd found a guy who was exactly Kibum's type.

"I know what you did, Jonghyun, but I also know why you did it"

From the expression on Jonghyun's face, Kibum could see that even Jonghyun knew that he'd been found out.

"I'm sorry, Kibum. I just want you to be happy. I agree that I should've told you about this, but  I wanted you to think it was spontaneous"

"I know"

He saw Minho approaching him.

"I'm sorry, Kibum. I never wanted to lie to you"

Kibum slipped his arm around Minho's waist and kissed his cheek.

"You're forgiven. By the way, did I ever tell you that I had a crush on you in high school?"

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End file.
